Method for Rating Images to Facilitate Image Retrieval

1. A method for rating images to facitilate image retrival, comprising the steps of: (a) storing a plurality of digital image files in a digital memory; (b) displaying the plurality of stored digital image files; (c) permitting a user to select one of the plurality of displayed images and to select a rating, wherein the rating indicates how much the user likes the image; (d) responsive to the user rating, providing a user image value for the selected displayed image, and; (e) storing the user image value as metadata in the stored digital image file corresponding to the displayed image, wherein the user image value uses a multi-point scale and wherein a maximum point value corresponds to a best rating.

2. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the user image value is also stored in a database separate from the plurality of stored digital image files.

3. The method claimed in claim 1 , further comprising: (f) displaying a group of thumbnail images corresponding to at least some of the plurality of stored digital image files; (g) retrieving the user image value metadata from the stored digital image files corresponding to the group of thumbnail images; and (h) responsive to the retrieved user image value metadata, displaying an icon adjacent to at least one of the thumbnail images.

4. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stored digital image files comprise JPEG image files.

5. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stored digital image files comprise Exif image files.

6. The method claimed in claim 1 , further comprising transferring the plurality of digital image files from a digital camera, prior to storing the plurality of digital image files in the digital memory.

7. The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metadata also includes a label for identifying the person or event depicted in the selected displayed image.

8. The method claimed in claim 7 , further comprising: (f) displaying a group of thumbnail images corresponding to at least some of the plurality of stored digital image files; (g) retrieving the label metadata from the stored digital image files corresponding to the group of thumbnail images; and (h) displaying the retrieved label as text adjacent to the thumbnail image.

9. A computer software product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer program, which when loaded into a computer causes the computer to perform the steps according to claim 1 .

10. A method for rating images to facitilate image retrival, comprising the steps of: (a) storing a plurality of digital image files in a digital memory; (b) displaying the plurality of stored digital image files; (c) permitting a user to select ratings for each of the plurality of displayed images, wherein the rating indicates how much the user likes each displayed image; (d) responsive to the user ratings, providing user image values for each of the the plurality of displayed images, and; (e) storing the user image values as metadata in each of the plurality of stored digital image files corresponding to the plurality of displayed images, wherein the user image value uses a multi-point scale and wherein amaximum point value corresponds to a best rating.

11. The method claimed in claim 10 , wherein the user image values are also stored in a database separate from the plurality of stored digital image files.

12. The method claimed in claim 10 , further comprising: (f) displaying a group of thumbnail images corresponding to at least some of the plurality of stored digital image files; (g) retrieving the user image value metadata from the stored digital image files corresponding to the group of thumbnail images; and (h) responsive to the retrieved user image value metadata, displaying an icon adjacent to at least one of the thumbnail images.

13. The method claimed in claim 10 , wherein the stored digital image files comprise JPEG image files.

14. The method claimed in claim 10 , wherein the stored digital image files comprise Exif image files.

15. The method claimed in claim 10 , further comprising transferring the plurality of digital image files from a digital camera, prior to storing the plurality of digital image files in the digital memory.

16. The method claimed in claim 10 , wherein the metadata also includes a label for identifying the person or event depicted in the selected displayed image.

17. A computer software product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer program, which when loaded into a computer causes the computer to perform the steps according to claim 10 .